Image moving to Portland

[AndrewCrossett]

Looks like Portland is becoming the new San Francisco.

Hopefully, it will be a while before someplace has to become "the new Portland."

[JFP]

Image is moving there because the cost of living is lower and they still wanna stay on the west coast. That's all. Portland will never be the new San Francisco. Portland is extremely provincial and parochial. Despite the influx of newcomers, Portland retains its navel-gazing atmosphere like always. If Image is moving to Portland, that just shows the company is in greater financial straits than I originally assumed. I was also shocked that the third largest comic book publisher in North America has only 20 people on its staff.

[JFP]

More and more, I get the feeling Image is a lot worse off than they let on. You'd think they'd post their move to Portland on their website but there's not a damn thing. You'd think they'd post news of one of their top-selling and longest lasting comics, Invincible, cancelling, but not a damn thing. Years back, in 2012, there was no fanfare, events, celebrations, nothing regarding their 20th anniversary. I don't even recall seeing an announcement on their website for their 20th anniversary. Their 25th anniversary is next year and I doubt they'll say anything about that either. They don't talk about their new 3-issue policy at all on their website either. They also have a forum but there's not link to it on the website.

All in all, whenever you have to learn about new developments at Image, you have to learn about it from outside sources. They never post stuff about it on their website. It is plainly obvious they unable and/or unwilling to care and understand the importance of communicating with their public. Why does a publisher called "Image" Comics not give a damn about their public relations image? Image has a terrible reputation of communicating with their fans. They also have a terrible rep. in the comic community in general. For many readers, Image is synonymous with late/abruptly cancelled comics. It's synonymous with disappointment. Yet this is the 3rd largest publisher in the comics industry. Wow. Just...wow...

[Expletive Deleted]

Seems appropriate:

[MajorHoy]

But, unlike say DC and Marvel, what does Image own?

Aren't they more a company that produces work by other people rather than a company with recognizable properties they assign writers and artists to? They don't need to micro-manage the way those bigger corporate owners do, so they probably need less staff. Also, does Image truly have a "face" the same way that DC has Superman and Batman, or Marvel has Spider-Man and Iron Man? So there's less promotional material they're going to want to put out since they don't have recognizable characters they'll be making money off of the same DC and Marvel have.

[sven]

But, unlike say DC and Marvel, what does Image own?

Aren't they more a company that produces work by other people rather than a company with recognizable properties they assign writers and artists to? They don't need to micro-manage the way those bigger corporate owners do, so they probably need less staff. Also, does Image truly have a "face" the same way that DC has Superman and Batman, or Marvel has Spider-Man and Iron Man? So there's less promotional material they're going to want to put out since they don't have recognizable characters they'll be making money off of the same DC and Marvel have.

Saw a quote somewhere that said it was only a staff of 20 people who were relocating.

[Dark-Flux]

More and more, I get the feeling Image is a lot worse off than they let on. You'd think they'd post their move to Portland on their website but there's not a damn thing. You'd think they'd post news of one of their top-selling and longest lasting comics, Invincible, cancelling, but not a damn thing. Years back, in 2012, there was no fanfare, events, celebrations, nothing regarding their 20th anniversary. I don't even recall seeing an announcement on their website for their 20th anniversary. Their 25th anniversary is next year and I doubt they'll say anything about that either. They don't talk about their new 3-issue policy at all on their website either. They also have a forum but there's not link to it on the website.

All in all, whenever you have to learn about new developments at Image, you have to learn about it from outside sources. They never post stuff about it on their website. It is plainly obvious they unable and/or unwilling to care and understand the importance of communicating with their public. Why does a publisher called "Image" Comics not give a damn about their public relations image? Image has a terrible reputation of communicating with their fans. They also have a terrible rep. in the comic community in general. For many readers, Image is synonymous with late/abruptly cancelled comics. It's synonymous with disappointment. Yet this is the 3rd largest publisher in the comics industry. Wow. Just...wow...

None of these things are the public's business.

They dont post news about Invincible ending because its not their decision nor prerogative. Its Kirkmans, and he did post news about it.

And for their 20th anniversary they held an exhibition at the cartoon art museum in SF, which was soon followed by the first ImageExpo.

[Brave Sir Robin]

Image probably belongs in Portland. There are a lot of comic artists congregating there, dawn to the painfully hip atmosphere, good coffee and overly hopped beer. I get the impression that Portland is growing and would be the kind of place a company would want to locate. Also, the tech companies are running just about everything out of SF.

However, as I crack on Portland, all the things I said could probably be said about my hometown of Denver. Well, except the coffee here is nothing unusual.

[MajorHoy]

However, as I crack on Portland, all the things I said could probably be said about my hometown of Denver. Well, except the coffee here is nothing unusual.

How do annual snowfall totals compare?

[JFP]

But, unlike say DC and Marvel, what does Image own?

Aren't they more a company that produces work by other people rather than a company with recognizable properties they assign writers and artists to? They don't need to micro-manage the way those bigger corporate owners do, so they probably need less staff. Also, does Image truly have a "face" the same way that DC has Superman and Batman, or Marvel has Spider-Man and Iron Man? So there's less promotional material they're going to want to put out since they don't have recognizable characters they'll be making money off of the same DC and Marvel have.

Image is changing their business structure. They used to say promoting the creator's comics was against the creator-owned concept. But now they have a magazine to promote creators' comics. They used to say having a deadline policy was against the creator-owned concept; but now they are having a 3-issue minimum. They appear to be moving more and more toward taking a stronger hand in the comics that are published by them.

Honestly, the only reason why they are moving to Portland is because their revenues aren't meeting the cost of living in the Bay Area and they wanna stay on the West Coast, so they choose Portland. All that other stuff about Portland having a lot of their creators is bull. There are more creators in the Bay Area than there are in the entire state of Oregon.

None of these things are the public's business.

They dont post news about Invincible ending because its not their decision nor prerogative. Its Kirkmans, and he did post news about it.

And for their 20th anniversary they held an exhibition at the cartoon art museum in SF, which was soon followed by the first ImageExpo.

Yes, they are the public's business. Otherwise, they wouldn't be announced to the public at all. They promote a new starting comic on their website; so they might as well promote an old comic that is ending.

And holding their expo at some small museum in SF is pitiful. The creation of Image Comics was heralded with international news attention. The celebration of the 20th anniversary is held in some dinky museum? Nice.

Image probably belongs in Portland. There are a lot of comic artists congregating there, dawn to the painfully hip atmosphere, good coffee and overly hopped beer. I get the impression that Portland is growing and would be the kind of place a company would want to locate. Also, the tech companies are running just about everything out of SF.

However, as I crack on Portland, all the things I said could probably be said about my hometown of Denver. Well, except the coffee here is nothing unusual.

Portland, Oregon has a painfully hip atmosphere? LMAO x 10!

Portland is nothing more than a provincial, backwater suburb. It's only getting hyped due to all the Californians moving there. The people there are THE definition of parochial. Portland = east coast Milwaukee, WI.

[JFP]

Saw a quote somewhere that said it was only a staff of 20 people who were relocating.

Here it is:

Image plans to relocate its staff of more than 20 people to the Montgomery Park Building in northwest Portland by early next year, adding its $50 million in annual sales to Portland’s already booming comics industry.

http://www.opb.org/radio/article/ima...e-to-portland/

[Javasaurus]

Sometimes companies pack up and move to a new location when they perceive some type of advantage for doing so. It's nothing new, really. What's more – if I recall correctly – Dark Horse has their headquarters not too far down the road from Portland. So maybe it's not such a bad place to run a company. If it puts Image on better footing to run their operations; good for them.

[Dark-Flux]

Image is changing their business structure. They used to say promoting the creator's comics was against the creator-owned concept.

Source?
And promoting comics isnt business structure, its marketing.
And I sincerely doubt any creators are being forced to feature their work in Image+.

They used to say having a deadline policy was against the creator-owned concept;

Source?
And its not a deadline policy. Its three issues done before the first solicit is made.

Honestly, the only reason why they are moving to Portland is because their revenues aren't meeting the cost of living in the Bay Area and they wanna stay on the West Coast, so they choose Portland. All that other stuff about Portland having a lot of their creators is bull. There are more creators in the Bay Area than there are in the entire state of California.

Source?
And even if its true...so?

Yes, they are the public's business. Otherwise, they wouldn't be announced to the public at all.

They didnt report it to the public. It was reported via second hand sources.
Unless you own stock in Image their business management decisions are not your business. They have no obligation to report anything to you.

They promote a new starting comic on their website; so they might as well promote an old comic that is ending.

For what purpose? Series is ending, no future sales to be had. It'll be solicited like every other book.

And holding their expo at some small museum in SF is pitiful. The creation of Image Comics was heralded with international news attention. The celebration of the 20th anniversary is held in some dinky museum? Nice.

The expo wasnt at a museum, that was the retrospective of the Image founders art. Id say an art museum is a pretty appropriate place to display art but thats just me.
The first Image Expo was held at Oakland Convention Centre and was deemed such a success its become an annual thing.

[JFP]

Source?
And promoting comics isnt business structure, its marketing.
And I sincerely doubt any creators are being forced to feature their work in Image+.



Source?
And its not a deadline policy. Its three issues done before the first solicit is made.




Source?
And even if its true...so?



They didnt report it to the public. It was reported via second hand sources.
Unless you own stock in Image their business management decisions are not your business. They have no obligation to report anything to you.



For what purpose? Series is ending, no future sales to be had. It'll be solicited like every other book.



The expo wasnt at a museum, that was the retrospective of the Image founders art. Id say an art museum is a pretty appropriate place to display art but thats just me.
The first Image Expo was held at Oakland Convention Centre and was deemed such a success its become an annual thing.

Let's stop this copying and pasting quotes thing. I was okay with it for a while. But now I find it too difficult to respond to. As of now I'm not longer doing it myself nor responding to it. Your response will be the last time I respond to any copy and paste style posts.

Regarding your responses. If I give you a source for the things I said, are you gonna believe them? I noticed you and capuga frequent the Image messageboard. I assess that you two have an agenda: never to say anything negative about Image. Since you appear to be the type of fanboys who never question the creators, I don't think anything I say can have an effect. It's not in your agenda to question creators. So what's the point of this argument?

[MajorHoy]

. . . Regarding your responses. If I give you a source for the things I said, are you gonna believe them? I noticed you and capuga frequent the Image messageboard. I assess that you two have an agenda: never to say anything negative about Image. Since you appear to be the type of fanboys who never question the creators, I don't think anything I say can have an effect. It's not in your agenda to question creators. So what's the point of this argument?

Uh, actually, where you got the information from would be helpful to separating facts from rumors and misinformation. (And since I rarely buy books from Image, I don't really have a horse in this race. But as a onetime journalist / former substitute teacher . . . it's nice to have people state where they got information from if they're presenting it as a fact.)