Frequently Asked Questions...

Do You Use Print-On-Demand?

2011-03-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Yep. POD publishing is a great way to let your fans get your work without having to invest a ton of money. Your profit margin (if any) is gonna be low, but again, you can provide a larger variety of products without having to print in bulk and carry a large inventory. Once you have determined that an item is popular, it may be worth your while to move on to a large printer, but Print On Demand (in my opinion) is a great way to start! Here's some good POD printers below.

For comics, books and/or magazines

Ka-Blam.com
Comixpress.com
Lulu.com
Createspace.com (owned by Amazon.com... They will even put your books for sale on Amazon for you!)
RAComics Direct (super fast!)

for other stuff, don't sleep on these:

There is a never-ending wave of these companies. Helping the little guy try to make it is a serious growth industry, so if you look, you'll find even more!

Advertise with GhettoManga!

2010-06-27T02:55:00.000-07:00

We welcome businesses, publishers, and other sponsors to support the publication of GhettoManga. We offer sponsors space in our magazine, comics* and on our websites. Check out the breakdown of prices below:
PRINT OPTIONS
Sponsor space is available in each issue of GhettoManga Quarterly magazine! Be advised that print space is limited, so first come, first served.
$300 for the back cover
$200 for an inside cover (front or back)
$100 for full page ad
$55 for half page ad
$30 for quarter page ad
*These prices also apply for space in our comics, and direct mail newsletters, when applicable.
WEB OPTIONS
We also offer sponsors space on the blog at GhettoManga.com. Space is $30 per month, or pre-order 3 months for $60. For a limited time, you'll also receive an ad on our Facebook page (1,017 fans and counting) for the duration at no extra charge.
PRINT & WEB
This option will get you a full-page ad in the magazine and 3 months on the website for $150. For a limited time, you'll also receive an ad on our Facebook page (1,017 fans and counting) for the duration at no extra charge.
Print & Web Combo

If you have any questions just get at me at advertise@ghettoManga.com.
-samax

PS- if you just want to donate to the cause of spreading the message of fly junk, click here!

Can You Recommend some good Books?

2010-04-24T02:19:00.000-07:00

Yep.

Here are a few books for the Comicbook Creator, enthusiast, or self-publisher. the ones with asterisks* are SUPER HOT! But I recommend any and all of these books. I have all of them in my collection!

*Making Comics by Scott McCloud
If you think you're tired of drawing comics, cop this book and be reminded why you're just getting started!

Releasing the Cartoonist Within by M. Rasheed
*How to Create a Comic Book and Get Rich Doing It by M. Rasheed

I cannot speak highly enough about these two books. They are written in simple, conversational language, and Rasheed's drawing style isn't all that remarkable, but he single-handedly changed the way I think about what I do! Using the techniques in these books, you'll be able to get started or take the next step in self-publishing. They don't answer all your questions, but they definitely let you know what questions you need to ask!

*How to Make Webcomics by Scott Kurtz, Kris Straub, Dave Kellett, and Brad Guigar
If you're thinking about doing a webcomic, buy this book!
How To Draw and Sell Digital Comics by Leo Hartas

*DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics by Freddie E Williams IIIa REAL eye-opener! Along with the Hartas book above, contributed HEAVILY to the way I work now. If you have photoshop and any kind of drawing tablet, get this book. There will be something in it you find MAD useful!

Drawing Crime Noir for Comics and Graphic Novels by Christopher Hart

*Comics and Sequential Art by the late, great Will Eisner
*Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
in my opinion, the two most important comics nerd books ever made. In fact, buy anything you see by either or these guys.

Manga for Dummies by Kensuke Okabayashi
The Making of a Graphic Novel/The Resonator by Prentis Rollins
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Drawing Manga Illustrated by John Layman, David Hutchison
*How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling by Shawn Martinbrough
if you are into Noir, you really should get this one. Beautifully illustrated and well-written

Superheroes: Joe Kubert's Wonderful World of Comics by Joe Kubert

How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by Stan Lee and John Buscema
How to Create Action Fantasy and Adventure Comics by Tom Alvarez
These are classics. Solid info, but great for young artists, too.

Can I Mail a Check or Money Order?

2009-07-17T03:22:00.000-07:00

You can send a money order in the mail.

Send payments made payable to Samax Randolph to

PO BOX 550
Anna, TX 75409

If you wanna pay with a check, just use paypal and use the electronic check option. once your check clears, you'll be notified by email!
thanks!
-samax

Submissions for ghettoManga Quarterly

2008-03-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

(UPDATED June 2010)

ghettoManga Quarterly -the print version of ghettoManga- is looking for submissions! send me your stuff (art, comics, music, etc) and if i think it's fresh enough, you'll get in print. simple as that!

what we're looking for:

Finished Comics (black&white or color)- if you want to submit your comic, please send me at least 5 pages of story. You know the drill, people: no pin ups, unfinished art or prose proposals... just legible comics pages.

Short stories are okay, as well as stories designed to be serialized in 5-12 page chapters. I encourage artists/creative teams with existing self-published comics material to submit their stuff to print in chapters. We print at 8.5x11 around here, so please be prepared to reformat your work!
Genre isn't all that important, and we do print mature reader stuff (not looking for porn, though), like a typical rated R movie, as well as all-ages stuff (PG or PG-13 stuff).
I do projects with All-ages and kids' comics too, so if you have that kinda stuff, send that too.
GhettoManga is a hip hop culture oriented magazine, so diversity is important to us.

Strips- Newspaper style comic strips are cool too, by the way. Political comics and gag strips are cool, black and white or color. Strips designed to be read individually work better, since there's so much time between issues, but your web address will be on it, so people can follow more of your work.
Articles, Reviews, Videos- comics, hiphop news art, culture... that's what i want to hear about. and i don't like whining ("so-and-so is wack... why isn't there any good hip hop, DC and Marvel suck really bad..."), so don't send me any of that! I wanna know what's Good. I mean, what's What's REALLY good!?! Don't send anything that you don't want printed with your name, email address, and/or web address on, cause i don't wanna hear it if you get your ass whipped.
Artists (pencillers, inkers, letterers)- I know a few writers who need help, so send me samples of your work. Also, let me know what kind of story you wanna draw... I'll hook you up with somebody if I can! In some cases, I will just show your work or do an interview with you for the magazine or blog.
Photographers- I need photos BAD! If you cover the comics, art, and/or hip hop scene (locally or nationally) get at me.
Illustrators- I know I said no pin ups, but I'll take good illustrations of rappers, politicians, actors, or whatever. when used, it will be to illustrate articles and stuff.
Press Releases- If you create fly stuff or know about someone who does, send the press releases to news@ghettoManga.com! It could wind up being reviewed or featured in gM Quarterly or on the blog!

feel free to pass the news about gM Quarterly to your friends and have them contact me at submissions@ghettoManga.com. I get a lot of submissions that I don't use. If I don't use it, don't take it personal... also, I don't make enough money from GhettoManga yet to pay for content, so you should look at submitting as a PR move.
Any questions? wanna help in some other way? get at me!

samax.

ghettoManga.com
comics. hiphop. news. art. culture

What Is The "Image of The Month?"

2008-03-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

Each month on samaxAmen.com, I feature a different Image, creating products with that Image, or referring you to a cool story or event based on that image. For a list of past Images of the Month (in no particular order), go here.
peace,
samax.

Can You Give Me A Job?

2007-11-11T19:16:00.000-08:00

Well, yes and no.
One of the things I take real seriously is puttin' people on to what's happening out there. I can't do it all myself, though... in the same vein, I want ghettoManga Quarterly to have comics in it, and illustrations, etc. but i can't draw them all by myself.

So i'd love help from reporters, columnists, comicbook creators and fans, and anyone else that thinks they have something to offer. If you see something you like, write up a little review or news blurb and send it to me! I'll use the ones I like, giving credit where it is due. If you want your comic to run in ghettoManga, by all means, feel free to submit! if you do illustrations, send me samples, and I'll use work that's relevant.

All that being said, I don't make enough money from GhettoManga yet to pay for content, so you should look at submitting as a PR move. It works best for people who are set up to make money from their work, but need more exposure. When I start making more than what it costs, I'll be happy to pay...
holla!

samax.

ghettoManga.com
comics. hiphop. news. art. culture

How do I keep up with New ghostWerks projects?

2007-08-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

you should sign up for ghettoManga, my newsletter, below.
I PROMISE to include not only any and every piece of news about the GhostWerks crew that they permit me to tell ya, but also whatever other tidbits about comics, hip hop, and other bits of art and culture I can sneak in!

GhettoManga is also available on blogspot, mySpace, Twitter, and Facebook, so I'll keep any and all GhostWerks news available where you can get it easily!
cool?
peace.
samax.

What Is ghostWerks?

2007-07-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

ghostWerks is a group of five guys who met in college. bound by a love of comics and each other (hip hop is pretty sweet as well, but why limit ourselves, right?), we decided to make comics together, and dropped our first comic, the Champion of Children Afterschool Special in october 2001.

since then, we have done a few more comics, tons of freelance art gigs, public appearances and community service under various guises. ghostWerks comics, the crew publishing label, creates and publishes our own comics, but rarely the work of others (although our friends do contribute).

we continue to do more comics because at the end of the day, we believe that comics will save the world, or at least our world!

Who is in the ghostWerks crew?

2007-07-25T13:31:00.000-07:00

ghostWerks is:

corance.
samax.
mike.
mario.
khalid.

in no particular order, of course. we work individually, as a group, with others, etc.
but whatever you've heard, this is the crew.

Will There Be Any New Ghostwerks Comics?

2007-07-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

yes.

stay tuned to the blog, the myspace, etc for new developments.
fret not, children...
ghostWerks is the squad.

whatever happened to ghostWerkscomics.com?

2007-07-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

good question...

ghostWerkscomics.com went the way of the dinosaur because we, those loveable ghostWerks kids, are shamefully unorganized. even though we had money in the bank, the website host was not getting paid properly... and they had the nerve to want to get paid (can you believe it?!?), so they nixed our website...

once you lose a url, it's very,very hard to get it back (just ask anybody who's lost one...), so that's it.

after years of trying, we let that ship sail. we have recently acquired the url www.ghostWerks.com (the url we originally wanted anyways!) and the site is under construction. we have gotten a little better at managing our biz since, so let's keep this one rolling as long as we can!

What Is ghettoManga?

2007-06-30T03:27:00.000-07:00

GhettoManga is all about comics, hipHop, news, art, and culture. in otherwords, anything i like or think is important can wind up within its pages. my intent is to comingle fans of hip hop, anime, comics, sports, movies, fine art, urban fashion and politics, etc... to promote my work, and the work of those i consider fresh.

my mission is to focus on the positive aspects of these things whenever possible, and to avoid the whining and finger-pointing that turns me off to many other magazines and blogs. we all know that (fill in the name of your favorite whack rapper) sucks, but just imagine what would happen if you spent just as much energy promoting the work of (the extra-dope producer/emcee/fine artist/film maker/comics auteur that no one but you has ever heard of) as you have trying to make us stop buying whack stuff! as the saying goes "don't curse the darkness, turn on a light!"

on the ghettoManga blog, I promote comics that I think will matter to the audience I am after, so comics that appeal to hip hop fans or black people (or that SHOULD anyways) will be promoted and/or reviewed. i also routinely post news, reviews and trailers regarding film projects, hip hop videos and tracks, album reviews, political commentary, and lots of links to other blogs and news sources. if you're really lazy, you can sign up for the ghettoManga feed, and i'll bring the news right TO ya!

ghettoManga is on Twitter facebook, mySpace and Blogger, because i welcome input and news from any and every source. so long as spreading the gospel of fly isht is your motive, we will get along famously!
ghettoManga is also available in print as ghettoManga Quarterly, a full color quarterly magazine with periodical anthology-style comics, articles, interviews, reviews, strips, etc. so if you want to have your comic run in gMQ, write articles or reviews, provide photography, or have your comic/art/movie/album featured or reviewed, get at me, or send me a copy at:
ghettoManga
PO BOX 550
Anna, TX 75409
If I like it, I'll hook up a review for you!

peace.
samax.
ghettoManga.com
comics. hiphop. news. art. culture

How can I Contact you?

2007-06-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

easy
my main email is samax@samaxamen.com
or you can get at me on facebook
i'm fine with snail mail too:

Samax Amen
PO Box 550
Anna, TX 75409

what is Ziontific?

2007-06-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Ziontific Is quite simply, an online gallery featuring the art of emerging artist Samax Amen (that's me!). the goal of Ziontific is to unify all kinds of art projects, news, and products under one roof where fans of my work new and old can come get the real!

you can send fan mail, commission a painting, buy a calendar (or teeshirt, or coffee mug, etc.), comment on new art, or just browse to your heart's content! hopefully, with your feedback, i can make my site one of your favorite destinations on the internet!

peace, love, etc.
samax.
www.Ziontific.com

Can I Make a Donation?

2006-08-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

you betcha! I need all the help I can get! you can make a donation with paypal using the buttons below, and thanks a lot! If you want to give an amount other than one listed, email me and I'll send an invoice!

$10

$25

$50

$100

How Can I Hire You? What Are Your Rates?

2006-07-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

After much advising, pleading, and complaining, i have come up with STANDARDIZED RATES below. well, mostly...
preferred payment type is paypal, but money orders are okay too...

FOR PAINTINGS:

Acrylics (on canvas or murals)

small (up to1 foot on longest edge ) $300
medium (up to 3 feet on longest edge) $500
large (up to 6 feet on longest edge) $600-750
monumental (larger than 6 feet) $850, OR $50.00 per square foot (whichever is higher)

Watercolor (on paper)

small (up to 1 foot on long side) $125
large (up to 3 feet on long side) $250
generally, that's it for watercolors. but i'm flexible, i guess...

FOR ILLUSTRATION

Straight Images/Drawings- $125 and up per Image. this is for full color or fully realized black and white drawings. either done by hand, with computer programs (i.e. Photoshop, Illustrator...), or probably both.

Business Cards (design only)- this starts at $50. the more complex the job, the more it'll cost.

Flyers (design only)- this starts at $50. the more complex the job, the more it'll cost.

Logo Design- starts at $125 (see a pattern forming?) this is a steal. this includes all the copyrights and what-not. please know what you want... provide examples from print/the web of the kind of logo you want.

Album/CeeDee/Packaging Design- starts at $125-$250 this really just depends on what you want. includes all rights. my prices are low. and will stay low as long as i can keep them low...

Sketches- just what they sound like... small sketches for $75. catch me at a convention to get these much, much cheaper. be advised! sketches are just that...SKETCHES! you want somethin' supertight, that's a drawing.

i guess you can get me to go lower with quantity.
begging helps too...

if what you want doesn't fit in one of these categories, talk to me!

be prepared to pay 40-60% up front. that deposit is nonrefundable, so don't ask. prices include the work and 2 sets of corrections/changes. after that there is a 25% additional fee per set of changes.

have a great day!
peace.
samax.

You Rock! Where Can I See Your Art?

2006-07-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks for caring!
go to www.samaxAmen.com or www.mySpace.com/samaxamen.
that'll getcha started!

I also have an online store at www.Ziontific.com where you can buy items with my art. My blog is usually up to date for shows I'm doing.
I also have an account on the artist networking site DeviantArt.com
thanks!
samax.

Where Can I Buy Your Art?

2006-07-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

good question... for starters, go to www.Ziontific.com
there, you'll find a blog and an online store
If you want comics, just go to samaxAmen.com/publisher
on my blog i keep you posted on new art and special events. i include links to clients' who sell items with my art too, when they allow it...
-samax

why Am i being directed here?

2006-07-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

you're looking at this for one of two reasons:

1) you attempted to sign up for one of our email lists and it didn't work... hit your back button and try it again... if it STILL doesn't work send me an email and i'll take care of it...
2) you attempted to buy an item that is currently not in stock. again, send me an email so i can see what we can do for you!
(if neither of those applies to you, then emailing me is probably a good idea...
thanks,
samax.