Monster Zero x SciFi Japan - Archive Only

Well, while I have no quibbles with the price of subscription, I must admit that I haven't really looked for an issue of G-Fan for quite a while now. The main reason that I myself lost interest was because the people who used to contribute the things I found most interesting, stopped. I used to really enjoy Stan Hyde's model building articles, and our own Ed G's articles were always enlightening with some great photos. And I must admit, that while I have no beef with J.D., and found him to be a very likeable guy, his attitude toward a certain director and a certain film kinda soured my whole belief in the credibility of the mag.
Enough of complaints, here are a few things that I would like to see, things that would perk my interest...how about theme issues? By that I mean something along the lines of having an issue dedicated to Guilala, or any other monster/movie, something similiar to a filmbook, maybe once a year. Also, other giant monster films from other countries. I'd love to see good articles on movies like The Black Scorpion, Them, The Monolith Monsters, etc., etc... Just a few random thoughts, for what they're worth.

I let my subscription slip some time ago, and I feel terrible about it. Now that I have started my own print 'zine up, I see more than ever how important the subscribers and buyers are. Though at the same time, as long as a heart stays with a 'zine, you can always survive. That's the nice thing about it, even if sales take a serious dive, if JD has the heart for it still, you just adjust your print run and style to accomodate the demand. We in the 'zine world are not depending on these things for food on the table, and as long as the "hobby" stays a hobby, and you feel you can afford it, then you will survive. Someday if sales are terrible, but JD still feels the desire, I am sure he would still be doing it as a little itty bitty digest sized 'zine.

The main problem I see is that after G-Fan becoming the monster it did become, if the sales do start to drop severly, I could see it breaking JD's heart and him just finally throwing in the towel. There will always be an audience for the 'zine though, just no telling how large.

I find the comment about the price being too high quite a surprise. I am guessing people have not seriously looked at how much this stuff costs to do. Plus until you have tried doing one of these things you have no idea how time consuming it is. I run a 32 page 'zine and it takes quite a bit of my 3 months up. Granted mine is a one man operation, but it is nowhere near the monster G-Fan is.

As for what needs to be done? Without having read the 'zine for a bit (a problem I plan to fix very soon), I really can't say. I know I wasn't crazy about the comics portion of it, but I do know many do like that. I think in the end JD will be facing a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation, as there are two pretty distinct sides to G-Fandom and you will always get one of them up in arms.

(the two sides being "uber-family friendly" and the other being a little more "hardcore")