Wizard Magazine is Dying

[BurningDoom]

What a freaking joke! I just picked up the latest issue, and dear god it was sad. The publication is gasping for it's last breath. The magazine itself was as thin as any comic, yet was priced at $5.99. They took out the letter pages all-together. There are like no sections to speak of, they just have articles that are numbered and counted down to #1, with no real rhyme or reason to the list, and the articles themselves were pretty mediocre, with only a few paragraphs on most subjects (they did have a couple 2 or 3 page spreads, though). And I laughed out loud when I saw the price guide. It was all of a single 2-page spread, THE ENTIRE PRICE GUIDE WAS 2 PAGES! What's the point?! No freebies (no promo cards, no posters, no comic previews, not even the single-month Wizard calendar they used to give you if they couldn't get anything else free to you). And finally there was an ad for a DIFFERENT Wizard comic-con like every other page. Obviously with that many conventions, they are desperate for money. And obviously with that many ads for their own product, many advertisers have now pulled out of Wizard.

I'm willing to bet that Wizard will completely fold by this time next year.

-Nate-

[CplHicks]

I feel the same way about toyfare too.

It's smaller, lost all humour, pathitic price guide. It's really boring. I finish it in the same time it takes me to read 1 comic.

When my subscription runs out I will not be renewing.

[BurchCustoms]

think wizard went into freefall when they started focusing (almost solely) on movies, and left comics behind (mostly).

fact is, as an information source, it just can't compete with the internet. i won't be surprised if wizard (and possibly toyfare) take the cracked magazine route. i.e. canning the magazine and beefing up the website and surviving off of ads.

[Punstarr]

That is sad. I remember getting one of the first issues of Wizard new when I was younger. I don't recall which issue it was (#13 I think?) but it had Ghost Rider on the cover. I remember it being such a great magazine.

[BurningDoom]

That is sad. I remember getting one of the first issues of Wizard new when I was younger. I don't recall which issue it was (#13 I think?) but it had Ghost Rider on the cover. I remember it being such a great magazine.

And it was a great magazine once upon a time. Great articles & interviews, awesome freebies and exclusives, the magazine had a great sense of humor, and an impressive price guide at one time (it even included a comic card and comic action figure price guide in addition to the comic one at one time). I liked the fan art and homemade figure monthly contests they did too. Some of the fans were better than the professionals. And who didn't live Mort-O-The-Month and the comic fantasy battle of the month?

-Nate-

[CplHicks]

fact is, as an information source, it just can't compete with the internet.

So true. After I joined the Fwoosh I didn't really need to go anywhere else to get my news. I got all the inside scoop weeks if not months ahead of what toyfare could report on.

[Punstarr]

I liked the fan art and homemade figure monthly contests they did too.

It (the figure) wasn't all that great, but back in 1995 or so I got a homemade hero published in Wizard.

[reginee]

What Wizard of Oz Characters have already been sold at Mcdonald's? Can someone please tell me the ones that already came out. I JUST found out that they were giving these out unfortunately. The only ones I have (which I just got a couple of days ago) is the Lollipop Kid and the Tin Man. Also, does anyone know which ones are coming out when? Do they give out one different Wizard of Oz character per week? Or do they give out more than one character per week?
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market samurai ~ marketsamurai

[Wesr]

wizard mazagine was the best guide there was back in the 90s when i was still collecting comics, i also remember looking at toyfare in the 90s and it was a vastly different creature. I remember that the only competition wizard had was Hero magazine.

[Golden Wolf]

Hero Illustrated Was Killer I Agree Wizard Is Lacking Alot Over The Last Few Years I Buy One Every Now And Again But I End Up reading The Whole thing in Like 20 Monutes So I Just Read Them In the Store & Save $5.99 If They came with The Free Swag Like They Used To I Get One Every Month ut All They Give Free In their Poly Bag Is that Card To Buy Fantasy & Graphic Novels & Maybe Some Dragon Statue Through the Mail .
WIZARD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN US WE ARE YOUR CONSUMERS GIVE US COOL ARTICLES, PICS & A DECENT PRICE GUIDE AGAIN !


But They Wont ! So I Will Keep Reading Your Mini Flip Book For 20 Minutes Or Less A Month For Free !

Hero Illustrated Will You Save Us ?




NO !
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH


OH WELL!

[Wesr]

I was always getting free figures and exclusive comics from wizard and hero.

[WeAreVenom]

I agree! Wizard was where my allowance would go as a kid, but now its not worth saving up for, let alone reading. I look at my old stacks, and the difference in thickness says enough

[Metaluna Mutant]

I only have the issue with Superman and Lois Lane when they got married. It was in the 0.99 bin at my local comics store. I'm not a huge comics buyer so It wasn't too interesting to me (I mostly stick to zombie comics). But for those of you that have followed the magazine for awhile, is it still worth keeping your subscription just to collect them?

[Wesr]

From the last one i saw its far from worth it but then most magazines are that way. Toyfare is about worthless anymore and even the game magazines are failures. 11.99 for an xbox magazine that is only like a 1/4 in thick. Then again since game makers don't make cheat codes into the games anymore you don't need a massive book. Oh i miss the days of classic gamepro and nintendo power when there were cheats and tricks.

[therapist]

I used to buy game informer, Wizard, and Anime Insider every month...now I buy none