Day 3! The Final Charge!

Welcome to the last installment of...

MAS Adventures at the New York Comic Con for the year 2010!

Here we are; Day 3! Down to the home stretch!

There’s no overtime, and, at best, just a few seconds left on the clock, which means that the MAS Crew has to find a way to end the event strong, in MAS style!

As all the days preceding, Sunday, has its specific hurtles to over come! First off, by day three, we are popped! For the last 24 hours MAS has been on full octane, flooring the gas pedal down to the metal with very little let up! We’ve had a blast Day 1 & 2(for a run down of the previous action, just check out the previous blogs), but by now, our Superman capes are somewhat frayed, so we must find a way to dig deep and reach our mark! Let’s face it, the attendance on Sundays are usually a steady drop from Saturdays, which means, you guessed it, less people;

...But no fear! It seemed the comic independent Gods were shinning down upon us, because the crowds poured in. To our surprise, the last day seemed to be more packed than the first, which was a sure fire sign that not only is the popularity of the show growing, but so should our sales! That is all the incentive MAS needed to get ready to strike, rejuvenated the MAS Team, setting in motion a sales display for the independent history books! From the gate, sale after sale flooded in, and what may have began as a single book sale mushroomed into a progressive push of prints and sales packages!

...Alas, the clock ticked down to the final seconds of the show. It was not long before the MAS team closed out the day, with a Profit! That’s right, you read correctly, a Profit (say that ten times fast). By the end of the day, MAS had accomplished 3 things that many say is impossible! We were able to take in a profit, reserve a table and, get this, walk away with our individual pockets a little less empty!

Conclusion, the three days at the Con was a huge success, cementing our place within the New York Comic Convention circuit, while providing us with a solid business foundation, motivating MAS to create and innovate the independent market for 2011!

MAS would like to give a special thanks to Mark Fincher of Reed Exhibitions and the New York Comic Con, James Seetal and Carlos Rivera(Writer/Creator of Neo-Dan), including all family, friends and fans that supported us, and also, a special thanks to Ka-Blam Publishing, whose polished professionalism and efficient publishing service allowed us to go to the Convention fully stocked and ready to go. Oh, and I can’t forget my brothers in crime, the MAS Crew!

So that's it! This particularMAS adventure has reached it's endpoint. Continue to stay tuned! Updates will be made to the web-site and new projects are on the way, and for those who are wondering about our next engagement, check the ONE THE ROAD section of our web-site. It’s all there! Well, happy reading and well catch you at the next blog!

Day 2! In the Words of Syphaxius:

"Here we are, Day 2 and MAS now has the daunting task of following up a huge sales day with an even bigger one! Not an easy task, especially in an environment guaranteed to be shoulder to shoulder! Now, in my “vast” years of sales experience, I’ve came to this simple truth, ones’ second wind (or in our case, sales day) is the most important one there is because it sets the momentum for the following day. It is very likely that if you have a strong sales day midway, then that momentum will carry you through to a win at the end! Games are won virtually from the second half on, in some cases full court press steps up and leads are either gain (or loss) at this point (simple law of averages, that and a little of Jon’s principles of selling…ha ha, get me? but see, it does hold a lot of weight)….

….So I had to rally the troop but the MAS Crew, knowing this, had something for those “stinking law of averages, and Jon’s rules! Our counterbalance, the entire MAS team on deck, along with, our Road dog, the infamous, Jim, Jim (shouts to you aka “Tough Dog!)”

With these pieces in place, MAS went on a rampage, tearing up the sales floor with a flurry of sales combinations that would even make Joe Frazier,” dizzy! Cards were being passed out! All points of sales were being hit! Each customer was being engaged! Product was being promoted and prints were being sold! ( Anibal was so pumped that he did not purchase one action figure, now that is monumental) Sales came in like a monsoon! I tell ya, MAS was amped and collectively lived up to its name, placing another brick in the constructing of the MAS dream!

Before we knew it, the phenomena known as the New York Comic Convention closed shop for its second day! With our inventory a lot lighter and 1,000 5377 books dancing in our heads, we went on our merry way, geared up for the next day. With our hearts and minds, we were ready to roll, anticipating nothing less than a strong close out to finish the weekend! Let’s just hope that we could make our goal a reality. Personally, I’d put my money on MAS!

Tune in for the conclusion of “The Adventures of MAS: The Convention Chronicles,” Day 3. (I know, it’s been used before but hey, even Shakespeare took a few good titles of his own!)"

And that was the recap of Day 2 according to Jon. A bit late we know, but better late than never right? Day 3 recap to come. Heh heh!

Day 1: MAS Explodes Out the Gate!

8:00am…no alarm rings but, in high fashion, MAS is up and charged for the day (Well, Jorge and Anibal were, I needed to be woken up, thanks Jorge). But seriously, we were revved and ready! Chef Anibal had the breakfast ready for the crew, a mixture of eggs, hash-browns, sausage and bacon (wow), and next thing you know, the car is loaded up and we are on the Jersey Turnpike on our way to the Lincoln Tunnel!

By the time we reach the Con, other exhibitors where picking up their badges and setting up, with us loaded up behind them but a little thing fell in the mix, New York Parking! Answer, $50.00 (ain't gonna happen)! So Jorge, in his divine wisdom says, “Hey, we could park this bad boy in the Bronx and take the train down (Right now, Jorge is sounding like freakin Einstein!) So after very little deliberation, Anibal and I say “That's the move!"). Why? Because we got to stay with, “the stuff!”

In any case, here is Jorge gunning down the highway while we look like independent comic creators without a booth! So we go inside, carry our arsenal of books and one folding table and set up and what do ya know, Boom! One Russ mini sold before we could brush the wrinkles out of the table cloth! Now, Anibal and I are looking at each other like, “did that just happen?” and the answer is, Boom! Another sale , back to back!

The next thing we know, the fuse is lit! We are handing out cards and engaging the customers, but there was still one piece missing in the sales team, the M in MAS, Jorge Medina, but we trudge on, until we see Jorge who comes in, ready to rock and roll! Now the comic cipher is complete! And then, "Ka-ching"!... another sale; this time a third Russ Mini (these things seemed to move like buns in a delicatessen!) But there was a slight fork in the road, I, Jonathan, have to go to work, in which time Anibal and Jorge are talking smack about me leaving early right behind my back (literally). Can you believe it, little old me? (That’s it! I’m taking the day off. Target, in the future, the Friday of Convention Day, you’ll have to spin your own pizzas…sorry).

So, I go but not without bringing some books with me and a few moments later, the flame that started ignites into a sales brush fire! Two Russ shirts are sold, along with a Street Journal Tee, and these flames don't die until shop is closed (at least for Friday)!

And so, after a great first day, Anibal and Jorge go on their merry way, off to pick me up from work (which, when they get there I am, you guessed it, making pizza) and after that we are on the Deegan, about to go over the GW bridge, pumped for Saturday, celebrating a great start, ending the day with a donut and, for all of you, a brand New Blog! See ya at the show and tune into the next blog, for …
….Day Two; The Sequel

MAS Marches Into the Future!

MAS marches into the future with their own prototype action figure!As MAS steadily moves forward to set new trends, there seems to be no area they fear to tread, so we introduce you to the first, 5377 prototype action figure! Under the precise sculpting hand of Animal Arroyo, he was virtually able to replicate a visual... concept of what the figure, if licensed might be. Now, when this prototype will come to fruition, is anyone’s guess, but for those whose eyes it does catch, keep watching, because one never knows; 5377 may be on your local toy shelf one day!

And for all those who wondered about the Prototypes development, check our Face book Masmediastudios group page in the upcoming days as we give you a step-by-step visual scrapbook of how it was done!

MAS Brings You the Goods!

October 8th! That date rings like Christmas bells to every fan boy in the land cause they know that the New York Comic Con is coming to town! Now I wouldn't call myself a "fan boy", not by true fan boy standards (*See Jonathan Syphax for true fan boy standards) but I too am excited for the show! My reasons are a bit different however... you see I, as well as my MAS Media brothers, will be taken part in the show not as attendees but as exhibitors and we have a lot of goodies for all ya'll! True this is not our first time as exhibitors at the show, but doesn't every time feel like the first? Maybe it's just me.

First up folks, I am proud to announce that our title Russ5377 will be available at the show and not just the first issue... no, no, no! We have been hard at work and promise to have issues 1-4 available for sale! Now I know in an earlier post I mentioned we would have 5 out of the 6 issues, but due to uncontrollable circumstances (finances: gotta keep it real), we will have 4 out of the 6, which isn't bad. Still, the series will be complete very soon and issues 5 and 6 will definitely see the light of day!

Also my friends and fans of Russ... a bit of news to you will be a change in the logo of the Russ title! "What change?" you ask... you better make it to the Javitz Center in a few weeks and find out!

And now, in Street Journal News... our flagship title gets one issue older! The six part mini series continues as MAS brings you Street Journal #3! The urban drama you all love continues to get hot in this new installment brought to you by the talented Mr. Anibal Arroyo and the very capable story telling prowess of one Jonathan Syphax! The cover is colored by our good friend and very gifted artist, Mr. Victor Claudio! Don't miss out on issue 3 and if you didn't get a chance to pick up the first two issues, what are you waiting for? Luckily, we will have those available for sale as well.

Tee shirts for both titles will also be available as well as other surprises and cool giveaways! See you guys at booth 430 the weekend of October 8th! Mark it on your calendars boys and girls, cause Christmas comes to NYC early this year!

See you there!
I'm out!
Medinamus!

Update! Anibal takes on Pin-up Art!

If you have heard of MAS, then it’s a sure-fire bet that somewhere, amongst the wild world of independent comics, you heard of Anibal Arroyo, (the artist of the well-received urban drama, “Street Journal,”). What you might not have known is that this low key creative force, has, in his visual bag of tricks, the makings of a great pin-up artist as well (Sorry Anibal, old boy, but I had to let the secret out of the bag. You’re just goanna have to suck it up and deal with the independent stardom that comes with it. Look at it this way; at least you already got the shades and the hat).

In fact, he is currently in the process of completing a piece, fully penciled and inked for the upcoming NY Comic Con(sorry, I can’t say who or what the sketch is. You just have to come to the Con and stop by booth #430 for the answer to that).

What I can tell you is I snuck a peek at the end stages of development, and it is a dusey! For those few disbelievers, check out his previous art. Think of this way, if his past work is any inclination of what is in store at the show, then get ready, because it is going to blow the roof off the place!

MAS Missing No MOre!

Hey familia!
What's happening? I know, I know, wtf? omg! smh! and all that stuff! But you have to understand guys, we are trying here! hahaha! No excuses, however, and to be honest... I really have none. I'm here to tell you guys, as my brother from another mother Mr. Syphax already told you....WE ARE GOING TO BE AT NEW YORK COMIC CON IN OCTOBER!!! Oh yeah, I'm yelling that ish!

It's exciting for us to be able to be at the show consecutively since the show opened up in New York a few years ago. At the time we were rolling with our buddy Samuel Vera and his Crazee Machine, but now we are rolling solo as MAS Media Studios and have been for a couple of years. The road is quite bumpy on the way to success and we have hit quite a few pot holes, but I'm happy to report that we are still here and still rolling!

This year we are trying to bring new product and it has not been easy but I don't think you guys will be disappointed. As we hit the show in October, we will have books 1,2 and 3 of Street Journal as well as books 1-5 of Russ 5377. Tee shirts for Russ will also be on sale as well as the classic Street Journal tee! Jonathan mentioned how we are moving towards a new direction at the end of this year and it's all good stuff! MAS Media will be bringing new things in 2011 and I know it's maybe too soon to mention in this post, but we definitely wanna hit you guys with some new projects!

Promises, promises...right? Well stick around boys and girls and you shall see! Only time will tell... In the meantime, don't forget to make a date with us on October 8th-10th at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York City for one of the biggest shows in the world!

Chat with ya'll soon!
Medinamus

MAS Invades New York Comic Con in October!

Here ye, here ye! All gather around! The New York Comic Con is less than three months away and, as before; the MAS Team will be in gear, ready to rock and roll.

Now, I must tell ya, this, probably more than all the conventions before it, is a pivotal event for the MAS crew! Books are being order, budgets are being set and, if all goes well, shirts are being shipped! The inner city tale, Street Journal, which has made its mark among the independent circuit and it’s outside fan base will have both issues 1 & 2 available for those who did not get a copy(Issue #3 is being lettered as we speak. Oh, I think I just let another secret out of the bag)!

Also, Russ 5377 will be on sale at the show. Our fighting mad hero will be more fire up and more explosive than anyone can imagine.
This show is big because it literally sets the business pace for MAS independent structure!
So check out what MAS has in store and for a sneak peek at upcoming pages and/or various blogs ranging from music, to comics to the independent field, punch into Masmediastudios.com! Keep visiting our Face book and MySpace page also for a sneak peek art from artist extraordinary, Anibal Arroyo during the upcoming months!

Read more: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=203383532&blogId=537953740#ixzz0wtYY7Sl6

Christian Beranek brings a story with heart to the Independent World!

Unhappy White Girls is a graphic novel project making a difference, and addressing real-world issues -- or can be, if the Kickstarter project gets the support it needs by the June 15 deadline. Launched by Christian Beranek, co-creator of Dracula vs. King Arthur, Unhappy White Girls is the story of Tish and Branna, two teenage girls coming to terms with their own secrets thoroughout the course of one turbulent day.Beranek recruited illustrators Triska Tsang and Vivian Lee from Brooklyn, NY, to provide the art and bring the characters to life.

"Triska and Vivian really understand how to convey emotion via the page," says Beranek. "From the slightest glance to frustration and tears, they capture the teenage condition."

But Unhappy White Girls isn't just another graphic novel -- it has a greater purpose to raise awareness about teen pregnancy and LGBT issues. If the project meets its $6,000 goal by June 15, Beranek and his team will complete production on the novella, with all remaining funds and proceeds being used to promote awareness regarding these social concerns. Once the Unhappy White Girls Facebook page reaches 5,000 fans, Beranek will also donate $1,000 to St. Anne's, one of the most highly-regarded social services agencies in Los Angeles, providing targeted programs and support services in response to the ever-changing needs of today's society.

"The reason I am using Kickstarter is that Unhappy White Girls has been a passion project of mine for many years," says Beranek. "I started working on it in 2005 after I was at a convention in Detroit. I was at a diner and said to my friend who was sitting with me, 'Our waitress is one unhappy white girl.' Right there I knew I had a title and an idea sparked."

Helping out this long-time projects is not without perks, either. For backers that pledge through Kickstarter, Beranek and team offer a series of rewards, from behind-the-scenes artwork and development material to a private dinner with Beranek and a graphic novel seminar in your hometown.

For more information on Unhappy White Girls visit: http://www.facebook.com/l/ae1c3;kck.st/du4aFW

Here we are, just two weeks away from the Heroes Comic Con, where MAS will be front and center! Now, this is the first time MAS will be attending this particular Comic Con, uncharted territory this is for out faithful, comic innovators, so, MAS decided to bring an army with them. Yes, we are bringing reinforcements, some of the best and brightest in the small press, independent genre. Sharing a booth with us will be none other than Keith J Murphy of CAG (Comic Artist Guild), Susan Soares of Sky Pirates, James Rodriguez of Nova Star Studios, Artist-Hector Rodriguez and, (hopefully, we are keeping our fingers crossed) Michele St. Martin, inker and writer extraordinaire!

Now, according to the word around the independent table genre, camp fire, this can be a daunting task. Fans come out in Droves! 80,000 plus! Lord, that’s a number to even make little Wayne’s head spin! The challenge will be, how can MAS stand out and expand our customer base in what is a sea of potential fan growth and sales. Truth is, we can not reach every sale to every customer (distributors, that’s your cue)! Right now, the bank is not there, but what we can do is what we do best, give great product(or the best we know how to give) deliver great customer service and follow through on our promise that the product will be available when promised to our fans and potential customer base(that is the rabbit out of the hat, my friends. Trust me, any independent will tell you the same)

…but, MAS not only means more, but also meeting the challenges ahead, so, we got a lot of work to do. I’ll tell you a secret. Lean in, listen close, I think we can do it! Correction! I know we can do it, so Heroes Comic Con, watch out! The whole ganged is coming through. This party will be the biggest one yet! Stay tuned for new update on Masmediastudios.com and check out our “On the Road” section of the web-site which gives you all the info you need about the Heroes Con! And for those looking to find up on the floor, we will be at booths 830 and 832! See you there!

This just in!
Anibal Arroyo, artist extraordinary of MAS flagship title, “Street Journal” will be doing exclusive, once in a lifetime, Hero’s Con sketches for all the guest and fans, so come to the MAS Booth 830 and 832 and get your own sketch that day!

Frazetta,a legend remembered

I first recall seeing his work on covers of Heavymetal magazine at around age 12. I was mesmerized,his mastery of the human figure,the worlds he created ,the creatures and the women ,wow ,the women. His style was very realistic in terms of anatomy and such,however the full on visual was definitely fantasy,which lead many to refer to him as the master of Fantasy art. Frank Frazetta is who I speak of,and although he did many other types of works including black and white inks ,comics,magazine and book covers and movie posters,I will always best remember his paintings. It was only after seeing his fantastically rendered masterpieces,involving very muscular barbarian type figures usually battling for or defending a barely clothed female in distress,that I found myself wanting to learn to paint the human figure. I would buy all the muscle magazines and use the many photos as my source of reference,in emulating Frazetta's work. I became a huge fan of the fantasy world and characters early on and it is an interest that still remains within me.We have lost one of the greats, he really was a huge influence on me artistically,and after having read up on him and how he lived, an overall influence as a person. May he rest in peace. A few years back I along with my creative counterparts ,Jorge Medina,Jonathan Syphax ,and Mr.Crazee himself Sam Vera,all had the distinct pleasure of having met his now also deceased wife Ellie,at thier home and personal museum in Pennsylvania. That, however,to paraphrase the end of the original Conan movie,is a tale to tell another day,,,,,,Syphaxius that is your cue,,,,,,,Arroyocus out but neva ova,,,,

Hostos Heroes Con Re-cap!

Hostos Heroes Con Re-cap!

This is it! The Masmediastudios, On The Road, Hostos Recap! Hosted by The Bronx Council of Arts, the MAS Team was front and center, ready to empty the merchandise boxes and build on what promised to be a high octane, high powered event. Ray Felix, along with Ed Mouzon, was working the crowd, making sure that every vendor and fan was revved up for the event!
Now, the truth was, there was a slight concern about the turn out. Despite its ideal location, right across the street from the 2, 4, and 5 trains, right along
149th street and the Concourse, there was a slight concern that the word would not spread far enough to create a constant flow of traffic throughout the show, but the opposite occurred. There was a steady stream of fans through the day and sales just soared. New fans were made and the MAS word spread like a storm over calm land! Even celebrity and hip-hop legend, Marley Mar, came through to check out the Bronx buzz of the day.
In the end, MAS Camp triumphed in high fashion! Books flew off the shelves and great business connections were made. We met incredibly talented independent, aspiring creators, and cemented ourselves in what is destined to be one of the great independent, comic convention of the genre, and certainly in the borough of Bronx, NY.
MAS would like to thank, Ray Felix and Ed Mouzon, along with The Bronx Council of Arts and Hosots College for their continued support and for making this event such a success. We can’t wait until next year, for the Third Annual Hosots Heroes Bronx Convention.
For more info check us out at Masmediastudios.com. Until next time, keep reading and following us out to our next venue, “The North Caroline Heroes Con” in June!

And in the Months to Come...

We at MAS are very excited about the next couple of months! Why, you ask? Well May 1st marks the start of our official convention season as the crew hits the Bronx Heroes Comic Con 2 @ Hostos College. Also at the show, the debut of Russ 5377#1! I know since late last year we have been talking about Russ and some of you might even have the mini comic we released at some conventions then, but this time, we at MAS bring you the official comic; full sized and in full color! The book is being shipped from the printers and some copies went out to critics in the industry just to see what they thought. As a matter of fact I wanna give a special thanks to Steven Surman at Broken Frontier and Richard Vasseur of Jazma Online for reviewing the first issue. Click on their names and check out what they thought. Then go online on May 1st when the book is available for order, or come to the show and see if their reviews were on point or way off!

That's not all we're excited about! We will have Russ T-shirts in stock at the table and with every purchase of a tee, you will get a free mini comic. And for those Street Journal fans, we will have the first issue of the book on hand as well as our popular Street Journal Tees! We have a great day planned for any who come and stop at the table so come one, come all!

That's May! In June, the fun continues as MAS will be leaving NYC and head out to North Carolina for the Heroes Convention. This will be our first trip there and we won't be alone! Coming with the MAS crew will be James Rodriguez of Novastar Studios fame and the lovely and very talented Michele St. Martin. MAS will be sharing booth space at the show with Hector Rodriguez and Keith Murphy as well as Everett and Susan Soares. All members of the amazing organization that is the Comicbook Artists Guild! So if you're in the area at the beginning of June, come and stop by!

June doesn't end there. Mr. Arroyo has a project that he's working on with a group of very talented Latino artists! I will let him tell you all about it folks! Stay tuned for more info on that to come.

In the meantime, log on the site and log often as we continue to update the site as new developments occur. New things are in store for the Russ5377 section of the site and the "about us" section as well. Oh! And if you are wondering where else we will be this year, check out the "on the road" section of the site!

That's it for now my friends! Chat with ya'll soon!
Medinamus!

Update! MAS invades New York Heroes Con May 1st!

May 1s, MAS will be front and center at the Bronx Heroes Comic Con 2 @ Hostos College.Its a Free event(that's right, free!) for all ages. This event is Hosted by Ray Felix, Gary Camp ,Ed Mouzon and Sponsored by Bronx Council of the Arts. and Hostos College. All are welcomed. Issues of "Street Journal" will be available, along with the official convention release of Russ 5377. Meet the Writer/creator of the action, Sci-Fi story that everyone will be talking about in the upcoming summer! This is one event worth checking out!

Projects In Development

That's right my friends, the brains behind MAS Media Studios continue to burn the midnight oil with new stories for one and all. With the success of our flagship title, Street Journal and the release of Russ5377, we at MAS have other goodies brewing. This section will keep you guys updated on the projects that are being worked on. Here's a quick sneak peek at three of the upcoming titles.

And as the late Heath Ledger's Joker would say, "Here... we... GO!!"


Planet Furor is being attacked and the only duck capable of helping in the war effort is a scientist by the name of Ducksian Muse. Unfortunately Muse has sided with the enemy and committed treason against his people. In his haste to get rid of the incriminating evidence that will put him away for life, or worse, get him killed, he releases it into space.

The battle suit makes its way to Planet Farof, where an unsuspecting duck is about to have a life altering experience. Duke Dullbeak becomes Wonder Duck, a full-fledged super hero who must now protect the entire galaxy from evildoers everywhere.

That is the premise of this action adventure story that takes place between two alien planets deep in outer space. The Adventures of Wonder Duck is slated for a 2011 release.


You take four young daredevil bikers, and unbeknownst to them, have their DNA genetically altered, throw an Ex-marine and bloodthirsty assassin in the mix and what do you have? The Lords of Nevada!

Ace the wise cracking, older brother! Mike the shy, younger brother and leader and Sandy the straight forward, razor sharp mechanic, take you on an adventure, which spans the entire Las Vegas plain.

Get ready cause Lords of Nevada is going extreme! This title's release date is still to be determined.


What happens when mom tells you to clean your room and you don't do as you're told? Lil' Steve's about to find out! Join him on an adventure for all ages.

Mr. Anibal Arroyo pens and illustrates this wonderful children's book and plans to release more books where the central character is Lil' Steve. Lil' Steve's Closet is slated for release... soon! We promise!




This just in! Four strong female characters! Four kick ass stories! That is the premise behind "Hot Tales & Bad Asses", an anthology book due out in 2011 from MAS Media Studios. The book will include stories by each of the MAS Media members and it promises to be both pleasing to our female readers as well as our warm blooded male readers too (hint hint)! "Hot Tales & Bad Asses" coming real soon!


And that's all for now amigos! Stay logged on to the projects page for the latest news on these and more upcoming titles!

New Store!

As we continue to venture down the independent road and tend to our website, we continue to try to find ways to make it easy to navigate as well as fun to log on to. With the other duties we uphold and the different hats that we wear, it's hard to give you guys daily updates sometimes, however, we are trying really hard to keep you posted on all the goings ons at MAS Media Studios as they occur!

With that typed, I just wanted to make you all aware that the store section of the site has been changed. As you might've already noticed, when you click on the "store button" on the home page, you are taken to a new page where the books and merchandise are now separated. This is to make sure that the books you order are never out of stock! If you missed out on Street Journal #1 here's your chance to order the book and meet Tyreke Miles! This, our flagship, is going strong and now at a great low price! You won't be dissappointed folks! And coming in May Russ5377 #1!

Enjoy my friends!

Medinamus

THAT'S RIGHT! BOOK THREE IS DONE!

Well, seems that summer is approaching faster than we think and I just have one thing to say to that.

AMEN! The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, the lovers are loving and the Masmediastudios are studio-ing (ok…so I got carried away. What can I say?) It also means that the third book is fully drawn! Whoow! Jorge is doing the lettering as we speak, and the pages for the forth book are also being fleshed out, so keep one eye glued to MAS. You don't want to miss a beat!

Also, the MAS Crew has at least two conventions scheduled for the upcoming year; one being the "Hero’s Con" in North Carolina in June. The other is the "New York Comic Con" in the Jacob Javits in October (and more will be added. Look out for new categories on the web-site entitled “On the Road with MAS” to get the official events, dates and locations of the places we will be). This is goanna be a huge year for MAS, and for those future and present fans.

And just in case you were wondering above the cool image uptop, you, my friend, just got a sneak peak at the first opening page of book three! You might want to brace yourself for this one yet again because it something big! (Anibal, great work), and we will give you further images, right here as the events near!

So, check back for more developments, as we try to give you an exclusive
one-on-one interview with the artist behind “Street Journal”, Mr. Anibal Arroyo!

Jonathan tries his hand at short story prose!

By now, anyone who knows of MAS work, especially the urban tale, Street Journal, has heard of the writing force behind it, but what some might not know is that Creator, Jonathan Syphax, is veering away from the comic gender, for a moment, in order to delve into writing prose with his collection of short story packed into an anthology book slated for release towards the end of the upcoming summer. Now, that does not mean that Jorge Media (co-writer of the successful urban graphic novel, Street Journal and creator of Russ 5377) will totally be out the creative loop, but just less involved in the intricacies of story development as he was in Street Journal.)
As for the anthology, it is made up of The accumulation of three stories.

The first is about an older man, who unbeknown to his dying wife makes a deal to get her life back. It is a daringly romantic story, which pits one undying love in conflict with ones moral choices.

The second, takes place in an old, abandoned cabin in upstate New York. Trevor, our unsuspecting protagonist finds himself caught in a cat an mouse with a werewolf, which happens to be his brother, the only person still alive out of his family, each second counting down to midnight before the full moon.

The third is of a Troy Burbank, a successfully lawyer on the rise, who, in the attempt to better his life for his wife, takes a partnership position to head a new branch of the law firm he works for in the quite town of Gloucester, Massachusetts, Upon moving into his new home, he finds a old, abandoned painting in the attic, in turn, unearthing something which best kept buried beneath the home.

Now, Jonathan is quick to say that he did not invent the horror gender, nor that he can duplicate the shear mastery of such greats as Edgar Allen Poe, William “Peter" Blatty, Robert McCammon, or more recently, modern day master of horror, Stephen king, but rather to write a piece of work that hopefully aspires towards those crowning achievements of these writers mentioned above. He knows that it is no easy task!

Nor is he the first to admit that, “prose writing is the toughest form of writing there is.” Jonathan went on to say, “The writer is working from virtually nothing, just a clear piece of paper, a pen and the many scattered images in his head, which he must make sense of, in most cases, at a minimum of 120 pages a shot. At the least it is a daunting task,” but, that is the testament that one loves his work...

But he has no illusions about the challenges he is taking on. “If you are writing a hundred page story, with, on average, 50 words per page, that is 5000 chances to screw up the readers road through whatever world you create. In a comic book, you only have twenty-two pages per issue, times six books, 120, all of which are facilitated by visual depictions of what the writer is trying to portray. With prose, your words are your picture, painting in the image. One poorly place word, phrase or character description and the picture is skewed, a factor that very well may take the reader out of that world for good and once they close the book, well, their gone.”

For Jonathan, this is not the only daunting factor in the mix. This will be the first project, coming off of the success of Street journal, where the sole responsibility of his prose will lie upon him. When asked about that, he had this to say.

“It is a bit scary, to go into a project knowing that one of your strongest allies in my writing process is going to have a more hands off approach, especially being as self conscious as I am when it comes to my writing. I truly am my worst critic, and my toughest teacher. Jorge will be advising me. I can’t phantom writing anything without his direct editing input. It certainly will be challenging to write a complete prose without him fine tuning the details.”

In the end, he understands that it is the work, which speaks for itself, and the fans, not the writer which, tells of ones greatness. It is a bold step(especially as an independent) to do a full, anthology novel, and one not without it’s risk. It is fertile ground that Jonathan is willing to tread, and if that it a mark of anything, is it that of a true writer. Having that said, one can not contemplate Jonathan’s success as a prose writer; only time will show the mark left behind in the sand; but something tells me, it will be a trip worth taking!

Also, watch out for a sneak peek at the first chapter of one of the stories in the upcoming anthology book, exclusively here at Masmediastudios.com.

The First of the Year!

Well here we go again! Last year MAS Media Studios represented at three conventions in New York. This year the goal is to do it again! Our convention schedule is small at the present time, but it's how they say (who is "they"? I don't know) but they say "big things come in small packages"... well here we go, with a small number of conventions scheduled so far, MAS plans to show you just how big our package is! Woah! That didn't come out right... you know what I mean.

Anyway! The first confirmed venue for the MAS crew will be in the BX! That's right! Our good friend Ray Felix is at it again! Last year we were fortunate enough to be invited to participate in the first Bronx Heroes Comic Convention, and this year, he brings us the sequel! Ray and the Bronx Council of the Arts are proud to co-produce the 2nd annual Bronx Heroes Comic Convention. This convention, like it did last year, will present Bronx residents the best in Indy and mainstream creators of comics. According to Ray:

"The goal of the Bronx Heroes Comic Con is to bring
together a variety of comic book artists from the
Bronx and greater New York City area. It's our way
of opening doors and giving opportunities to lesser
known cartoonists and illustrators in our community,
while also widening the fan base for known professionals.
We strive to promote the understanding and appreciation
of comic book art and artists. One of our main goals is
to promote literacy and foster new generations of readers,
writers, cartoonists and creators. Every artist involved
in our convention will play a pivotal role in making this
event into a strong gathering of artists and writers."

The event will be fun and educational for artists of all ages as professional artists will offer free courses in the form of workshops in the areas of drawing inking, writing comic books and publishing your own Indy comic. There will be portfolio reviews, get your favorite comic characters drawn by industry pros and talented comic artisans for an affordable price and a free comic book just for walking through the door. Plus admission is free!

May 1st 2010 looks to be an exciting day as us here at MAS release the first issue of Russ5377. Pick up that and the Russ-T as well as the first issue of Street Journal! Convention season gets under way in May! See you there!

Medinamus

Trials and Tribulations and now...the Official T!

As an independent publisher we have to be very smart about how we spend our hard earned dollars. There are factors that affect us that the big guys in the industry laugh at. For example; The idea of printing costs? Hahahaha! Selling out a book? Hahahahaha! Getting our books into stores? Hahahaha! I think you get the point. The bottom line is that it costs money to get our books out to the public. How we do this is a creative process in its own right. We have to figure out how to get projects that we put our hearts and souls into to the public with the lowest amount of money spent as possible. And it ain't easy folks, there's a lot of trial and error that goes into this. Unfortunately, trial and error can be costly! Especially when the "trials" lead to many errors.

In my time as an independent publisher, I have stepped in a lot of poop! The key to staying in the game however, like in everything else, is learning from your mistakes, and not repeating them! I'll give you two quick examples.

Mistake #1: Putting out issue #1 without completing issues 2, 3, 4 etc...

Way back in 2003 I attempted to self publish Russ5377 for the first time. It was the Fall of '03 and the Big Apple Comic Con's National was in town; a huge three day show where we were sure to kick butt! At the time I was working with a buddy of mine, Mr. Samuel Vera and his company Crazee Comics, and we were amped! I had just finished issue #1 and felt great about the fact that finally I would publish my first comic book. I was so excited about this accomplishment that I totally overlooked a very important factor... there was no issue #2! It took me a while to complete issue 1 it would take me close to a year to complete issue 2 and I won't even tell you about issue 3. So anyway, there we were weeks before the show and now we needed to print these bad boys! This leads me to...

Mistake #2: Printing too many copies

We searched for printers and found out really fast that printing comics can be expensive! It was our first go around at this so we wanted to make an impact! We wanted color! Color is even more expensive! Especially back then. So Sam managed to get a hook up where we would print the books dirt cheap! The catch? We'd have to fold and bind the books ourselves! Oh yeah! Sweatshop style! But whatever! It was our moment and if we wanted to shine, we would have to put in work! Ok, so now we had a printer, how many books should we print? We weren't going to print thousands, that's ridiculous! Plus who has thousands to spend on printing? So we went with 500! Yeah! 500 copies of a book we ourselves stapled that no one had ever heard of!

Ah, the memories! That was quite a show! Surprisingly enough, the show was a success! We sold a lot of books (not 500) and began on this path. And the road has led me here! Seven years since that show, I learned to have at least four issues in the can before you promote the first, (I am happy to report that issue #5 of this new incarnation of Russ is being completed as we speak) and I discovered printing on demand!

The other thing I learned from that was to promote! Now I gotta give Sam props! He is a promotional whore! Even back then there were a few forums he got kicked off for over promoting! But I take full responsibility for not promoting Russ correctly back then and hurting a project that I hold near and dear to my heart. So now that I'm releasing issue 1 (again), I've decided it's time to learn from my past mistakes! As unpredictable as life is my friends, I'm sure there are mistakes still left for me to make, but my hope is that they aren't as bad as the ones I've made in the past or as costly.

This brings me to the month of February. That basically means that there are three months left before Russ5377 #1 is released. In this time, it is our plan here at MAS to make sure people know, come May 2010, Russ is back! We started hitting stores in NYC and leaving bookmarks for you guys to pick up with "5/10" printed on them to remind you of the release date! Also, It's taken a while but finally, I am proud to announce the release of the "5377-T". This is the official T-Shirt of the Russ5377 title. Big thanks to Skygraphx for the print job, man the T looks great! Check out the MAS Media Store and get some today! Don't wait, those shirts go fast! And... we are definitely planning other T-shirt designs so stay tuned for that! Man, the next three months will be a blast and as soon as new developments unfold, you know where to come to get the latest!

Now kids, I just wanna end this blog by saying thank you guys for the support! We are all working hard to make our dreams become reality and when I say "we", I'm not just talking about my brothers here at MAS, but also my peers all over who have a project they hold near and dear to their very souls and won't quit till they make it to the big time... wherever that may be! Stay strong fellas and lets all support each other!

Whew! Deep! hahaha! I'm out!

Medinamus!

And in May...

If any of you walk into a comic book shop in NYC or the surrounding areas and happen to see the bookmark above and say to yourselves "what the heck is 5377/0510?"... let me fill you in. MAS Media Studios is proud to announce that the first issue of Russ5377 will be released here in New York in May 2010 or 05/10! Yes! These bookmarks will be available throughout the New York area starting in February as we promote the release of Russ.

The book is a 6-part miniseries, and although it was originally planned as a graphic novel, we've decided to make it available as single issues. Now the opportunity to get your hands on the book is only available here in New York and in select stores in New Jersey. Never fear however, for all those Russ fans outside of the area the book will also be available on our website and a few others that we will announce within the next few months. The book will also be available at any convention where the MAS Media crew makes an appearance throughout the year.

We look forward to the release and hopefully so do you. A list of the retailers where Russ5377#1 can be purchased will be posted here within the next couple of months!

Talk to you guys soon,
Medinamus

Update! Huge Update! MAS Exchange is up and running!

That’s right! The MAS Exchange is officially part of the Masmediastudios name! This is a forum for you, the fans, potential fans and the creative public at large to discuss fun and exciting topics of the day, the year, or any you might what to discuss and it is at easy access to you! Simply go to the Masmediastudis.com main page and just click the icon entitled, you guessed it, MAS Exchange! Now, there are other great sections to the web site and Jorge is doing a phenomenal job in making it as interactive and fun for all who visit it (spotlight on you, buddy, keep up the great work, kid!) And for those who have not browsed the website, you are missing out on what promises to be a fun ride, compliments of Jorge’s and the MAS MS crew! So kick back, have a blast, because this is just the beginning!

2010!

Happy New Year everyone! We're a decade deep into the 21st century folks! Can you believe it? What will this year bring us? Well I can tell you what us at MAS Media Studios are working on and towards!

Number one: The release of our flagship...Street Journal!
Yes like our young Syphaxius posted last month, the book is slated to drop in the summer and we are very excited! As the months turn to weeks, weeks to days and so forth, we will keep you posted on the developments. Lots of goodies are in the works which include videos that will give you a first hand behind the scene look into the creative process! In the meantime guys head on over to the store and pick up the first issue on sale now.

Number two: Russ5377
The other project from the MAS Media Studios camp is Russ5377. Now the book was supposed to be released as a graphic novel in the winter of 09. I apologize for the set back folks as the release date has been pushed to later on this year. Much like what we have planned for Street Journal, we have decided to flood the site with interviews of the creators explaining the process. Stay tuned for those.

Number three: Where Will The MAS Media Studios Crew Be This Year?
Our main man Jonathan Syphax is at it again this year wheeling and dealing us into conventions to promote our books. The first con in the calendar for 2010 is the Heroes Convention in June. From there we will be back in New York in October for the New York Comic Con at the Javitz! We promise to have more info on these two shows and the others that Mr. Syphax is working hard to get us into.

Number four: The MAS Exchange!
Early last year, the guys and I had an idea to create a place on the site where we could post our very diverse opinions on different topics and then have you guys debate on those different points of views. Unfortunately the idea never materialized until today! I welcome you all to The MAS Exchange! We will be doing our best to update this part of the site and have different topics to discuss! They say the toughest part of a long journey is taking the first step (or something like that) heh heh! So here's our first step! Enjoy guys!

Ok so I'm sure I have a lot more things I'm forgetting but I'm just as sure that my boys will pick me up if I missed any. So that's my update for the first month of the new year! Enjoy it fellas and lets make the best of 2010!

Medinamus