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Hello to everyone or at least anyone who still comes to this forum. I just received an email from Mr. Montoya that I sent him like two weeks ago. I was going to email him back, but I decided that I would post it here on the forum for everyone. I wrote Mr. Montoya about the next issue of the world of myth. Here;s his reply.
Hi TJ!
It's great to see that you're still around after all these years! About your question, the next issue (number 52) is due out soon. We are working on a brand new re-designed site and this is taking quite a bit of time—so hang in there, it'll be ready soon and I will make our Fiftieth issue seem like a regular release with all that we have in store for all of you.
With Respect,
David K. Montoya
CEO & President
Dark Myth Production Studios
After waiting two weeks for a reply, all I get is a paragraph! I've been around for sometime people, before The World of Myth, before the world of dark myth, I came in when Rebecca was running new myth entertainment. I followed loyally, I loved what they made, no questions asked. I remember when Rebecca was in charge, we just to just talk on AOL Messenger. Now days I can't even get a reply from her. I haven't actually spoken to her in years.
I couldn't help but wonder what happened? I remember back in the day when I email David Montoya and he'd have a lengthy reply for me the same day. And when did it become important for you to post CEO of Dark Myth, for years you'd just reply Dave no exec title bull****. All of us knew you were the owner and the boss of the company, but you didn’t walk arouind saying IM A CEO ****** It wasn’t needed and I don't think its needed now. SERIOUSLY!
What the **** happened? Seriously! What? Are all of you so important as execs that you forgot where you come from? You guys MADE this company!!! When you let making comics and when to short stories I was ****** out, but I got an email from a humble Editor telling me to hang in there and give them a chance and maybe I'll find something I like. That was before Terry became a Vice President then a Executive Vice President then President and now a Chief Operation Officer. I was a huge fan of short stories, but what I was attracted to was the family environment. I LOVED how it was about the people and not so much focus on their stuff. I LOVED how every month Terry would get on there about make you feel that you were in some huge publishing office even though I knew that every issue was put together in the house of the people. You created a land of fantasy, I LOVED how people strived to be member of the month and how month after month it was a close race. It was like watch the game and rooting for your favorite player and when they won member of the month it was equivalent to you favorite team willing the championship. Then you stepped things up and published the calendars. By the time I had enough money together they were all sold out. I remember that you guys were on to something big. Then Terry put out his book and then Rebecca put out her book, and while their publishing careers where taking off they stayed the same. Even when you guys did that movie, you stayed the same. Month in and month out to seemed like to me that your main focus wasnt about making money on how much crap you sold it was about making the world of myth the best magazine on the net. Then you bought Horrotica, this was the first time I no longer saw Dave and Terry as two guys, but I saw them for the first time as execs. I remember sitting back and thinking business must be good for them. They keyword is 'THEM'. Not business must be good for dark myth, while I knew that dark myth was the company, but I was Dave and Terry as dark myth. Sometime later they split months one month they'd put out the world of myth the next month would be horrotica. After three years the world of myth was no longer monthly but became published every other month. After that terry left and brought in steve. The whole thing changed the family environment changed, people ****** and moaned about being paid. After the last segment of the end aired and Dave left the world of myth that was when I stopped being a regular reader. I stopped back in from time to time but it just wasn't the same. Terry and Dave where gone and Dark Myth was in my eyes truly born.
I guess my point is that maybe you should stop thinking so much about how many books you can sell or cartoon you can make and focus more on making the world of myth fun again.
TJ
TJ,
Glad you posted this note. I don't agree with everything you said simply because I don't HAVE an opinion on a number of points. My only contact has been with World of Myth and none of the other parts of the whole corporation (if that's what it is. Don't really know, or care).
I'm kind of surprised that you didn't mention the pay for ezine fiasco a while back, and I'd be interested in what you have might have to say on it.
Now, I've gotten that "survey" form in email about David and how he runs things and I find myself shaking my head. Surveys are not useful at all, as far as I can see, especially since they're heavily prone to biasing (my foremost criticism of them).
I'd like to see more people taking the time to stop by the forum and drop off a note but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them. I put up that one note to Rick on his Hogfather review and so far, the count has been 7 views, no replies. Not even one from Rick.
My guess, right now, is that the World of Myth is sinking even as I type, which bothers me quite a bit since I haven't been using any other outlet for my own work.
My personal opinion is that Steve Bolin, the last editor, managed to make contacts with the ezine negative for many people and I'm not entirely sure that the ezine will recover. Back in late April or early May of last year I had reached the end of my own patience with Mr. Bolin's running of things and decided to look for another outlet for my images and stories, only to have Chris and David contact me to let me know that Steve was leaving the ezine permanently. They convinced me to resubmit material after Steve left.
[ note: I want it clearly understood that I'm not badmouthing Steve as an editor or anything else. The two of us are simply incompatible; I don't like his style and he let me know rather forcefully that he couldn't stand me.]
So, comments requested ...
[And if Rick is still hanging around, I strongly suggest he get a copy of the newest Terry Pratchett movie - Going Postal - for a review. One hell of a good movie.]
Browning>>>
I got that stupid ass survey thing too. There was a few things I left out because I got tired of typing. And the paid pdf bull**** was in fact on the list. I think that's when things really started to change. One of the things that attracted me for as long as they did was the fact it was free. I remember my ex-wife and I when we were still in high school got our teacher to let us check out the world of myth on fridays, by the time we left high school most of the other students was reading it as well. That would have never happened if it wasn't free to read. I'm not a 100% sure, but I think this may have been caused by the writers and such that were apart of the magazine back then. I remember that kelly dude crying about how they should get paid and blah blah blah then shortly after that the paid thing came out. That was short lived though. thank goodness. And whatever happened to that M2 thing, I was actually jazzed about that and it never happened. that really ****** me off.
As far as reaper rick. I know he works for horrotica now as its movie reviewer. I go there more often then here now days it's pretty cool, a lot of old the world of people are there. I know terry is there and david still does the webmasting and like I said rick is there and I think I saw a few others who I cant think of there names right now. I have no clue if he's coming back now that steves gone. I used to love reading his reviews, he was originally a patient at a insane asylum who escaped watched a few movies and got them turned into the magazine editors before he got caught. That was the FUN I was talking about in my last post. They need to bring all that back!
I hope you stick around or maybe head over to horrotica. Ive always liked your stories. Conquest of Earth is my favorite so far Im a scifi guy.
TJ
Hi T.J. First of all i never have received an email from you or I would have replied back. You most likely have one of my very old email addresses. Here is my most recent if you ever have any questions or just want to say hi. It is rebecca_lofgren@darkmythproductions.com. I can see what your saying as some of my feelings are the same, though
I do not agree with you entirely. I promise you however we are doing the best to bring T.W.O.M back to or close to its former glory. I redesigned the website in it's entirety and sat down with Dave and brain stormed many ideas that David has or is going to implement very soon. We are also in the process of bringing you a monthly e-comic which I am very excited about. I promise you we are working to T.W.O.M fun again! I love T.W.O.M and have been proud of it from the very beginning, but I found myself not wanting to submit and that I was barely reading it anymore. Then I realized that wasn't the way it was supposed to be. I was there from the beginning and that it was my job to in my eyes save it. I felt it needed a change and with Steve gone I knew that change could happen. I want this site to be fun not just for me but for everyone, so if you or anyone else have any ideas please email them to me. I promise to look over every suggestion.
Rebecca,
Glad to see you drop in and comment.
When is the next issue to come out and were you going to be using "Wild Kingdom" in it? My understanding is that that image of the abandoned house was going to in the issue as well.
If I may make an observation here --
I know how cozy a forum can be and how much fun as well, from back before the web took off. Some of the same sort of "chats" that TJ referred to about Rick sound like they could have been straight from a BBS that I used to hang around, local to the Willamette Valley here in Oregon. You can some very funny stuff in the casual "pinging" on each that goes on there.
Compuserve was the same, only more so.
But it CAN'T last forever, sad as that may sound. A forum needs to shift with the users as they come and go and really needs a faithful core of three or four people who hit the forum at least three or more times a week. A moderator is also extremely good at setting the mood and prompting debate.
I'd suggest that you think about maybe breaking the forum you have now, up into three or four different forums, each with it's own focus, and prevail upon some interested reader (like TJ) to ramrod them. No, I'm not volunteering myself. I don't really get on the web much -- got too many other things going on.
TG Browning>>>
[hmmm: try this for size: Forum 1: The current issue. 2: DVD/Games including reader suggestions of different movies, both new and old. 3: Science and Current Event News. 4: Whatever.]
Your story Wild Kingdom as well as you art will be in issue 52. 52 will be released very soon, I suspect within 2-3 days. Issue 52 is a big endeavor and is taking much longer than expected. As for your forum ideas they are great. I have actually been looking into a forum with a fresher look and the idea of sub categories is great. I feel a suggestion area in the forums for reviews would be a great way to see what people are wanting to be reviewed. As for you movie suggestions I'm gonna see if i can find them on nextflix because I like to watch lesser known films.
Most importantly to everyone wondering what is going on with the site. I want you to know that right now we have a dedicated team trying to bring you the best content possible. Sarah is great to work with and is putting in her best effort to bring in great content to this site. She is very involved and doing a great job. As for Dave, he isn't doing much in to front lines right now but behind the scenes he is constantly working to improve T.W.O.M. As some of you know he and his wife recently had a baby so time is tight for him. This in no way means he is gone as he has a special treat in store come around May. Please also remember we can't do this without our viewers. I want anyone to feel free to submit their work. Even if you have been turned down in the past try again as there are different people in charge of submissions now. We are also in need of columnists so anyone interested please apply. Most importantly I hope no one gives up on us because we are far from dead and have much much more to offer. :D Thanks for reading.
Thank you, T.J. and T.G. and Rebecca for making your opinions known. Please know that, as Managing Editor, I will respond to whatever emails are sent to me ASAP.
The fans and readers are very important to those of us at The World of Myth. You are the reason we exist. Writers and artists want you to read and view their work. We hope to entertain, shock, and make you laugh. That is our purpose.
Like you, I've always felt TWoM is a family. Please believe, I want it to remain that way, while still giving you a quality ezine. I believe we can do both.
Just to clarify I have total respect all of the work that Steve Bolin has done as a writer and for T.W.O.M. I have no ill feeling towards him. I merely mean't that I had ideas for T.W.O.M. but I didn't want to set on anyone's toes, because I am Dave's sister. Now that he has stepped down I can try and implement change without being pushy. I thank Steve for bringing in many new contributors and readers. He has my up most respect and I believe him to be a very intelligent and capable person. Sorry for any confusion.
Thank you Rebecca for your clarification and to both you and Sarah for your support. You two have always been a joy to work with and made my time with TWoM so enjoyable.
Steve
I’m not sure what you’re talking about tj but it looks fine to me. I don’t understand what your talking about maybe the hole magazine did not come through. I know that before I got my cellphone I have dsl and webpages never loaded right. Maybe use your phone too and see what happens.
—DL
CHRIST! Did you even bother to read the entire thread?